1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera that performs focus control based on a result of a face detection.
2. Description of the Related Art
As disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-86682, a camera performs automatic focus control (AF) by detecting a face of a subject in a shooting image plane is known. Particularly, in recent years, a monocular reflex type camera that performs AF by a face detecting process has been studied.
However, for a monocular reflex type camera that performs AF by detecting a face, the following problem has been pointed out. Generally, when AF is performed by detecting a face, a practical structure is to perform AF in an image plane by an image pickup device that detects a face based on a contrast detecting method. However, when AF is performed based on the contrast detecting method, it takes a long time for the focusing operation, since a focus position is detected in comparison with the former focus evaluation value. Thus, the quick shooting performance of the camera deteriorates and causes to increase the risk of missing the right moment to capture an image. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-86682 does not disclose any means of solving such a problem.